Glee 2013 Chapter 4
by mudv213
Summary: Tina's pregnant. Sam gets arrested. Coach Beiste gets a new boyfriend. Principal Figgins gets replaced. Several members quit. Alexander and Amanda break up. Blaine may transfer schools. I do not own Glee or any of the songs or artists mentioned in this story. Reviews welcome.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Tina's parents had openly welcomed Quinn into their home, and Tina herself was glad to see her. When Tina's parents went for a night out, Tina and Quinn holed up in Tina's room.

"Are you okay?" asked Quinn.

"I don't know. I'm still kind of scared."

"I was at first, too. Is Mike the father?"

"I don't know, I haven't told him yet."

"But you still don't know for sure if you are pregnant. Have you taken a test yet?"

"No, not yet. Quinn, I don't know what to do. This is all happening so fast."

"Well, don't freak out, for one thing. Just take it slow. First thing's first: you need to go a local drugstore and purchase a pregnancy stick, do your thing, wait a while, and it will tell you if you're positive or not."

"Is there any way to do that without people there judging me?"

"They're not the ones who are or aren't pregnant, so it's none of their business. Trust me, when you know, you know."

Tina didn't know whether to relax or not. Quinn's advice was helpful, but she still had another problem.

"I don't even know what to tell my parents."

Quinn's expression lowered slightly.

"When my parents found out that I was pregnant, my dad kicked me out. I guess it wasn't entirely unreasonable. I did a lot of stupid stuff back then. But you are stronger than all of that, and I can tell. Don't tell anyone until you're absolutely sure."

"Not even Mike?"

"Not even Mike. Now, come on. With your parents out for the night, we can get to a drugstore now. They're open late."

With that, Quinn led Tina out of the house to her car, and they headed to a Walgreen's to pick up pregnancy sticks. They returned a little while later, and Tina immediately went to take a test. They waited as long as they needed to, and Tina began to check the result, but couldn't bring herself to do it, so Quinn checked instead.

"What does it say?"

"It says…"

INTERLUDE

Mike had gotten a quick ride from Chicago back to Lima upon hearing the news. He wasn't angry, upset, scared, or happy. Even during his trip, he didn't know what he was supposed to feel. His father had been uptight about him getting through his high school life alive, often considering Tina a roadblock. Now that Mike had gotten wind of Tina's pregnancy, he had no idea what his father would say. Even though his mother was more sympathetic and understanding, Mike didn't know what she would say either. As he climbed the steps to the Cohen-Chang's front door, he didn't know what he should, would, or could say to Tina when he saw her. When Tina answered the door, their greeting was relatively lukewarm.

"Tina, I'm so sorry."

"No, don't be. This is probably a good thing. Please, come in."

Mike obliged and entered, and he was surprised to see Quinn.

"Hey, Quinn", he said, and she gave him a curt nod. Mike sat down on a couch, facing both of them, and Quinn spoke first.

"I understand that this is a personal matter between the two of you, but Tina needs someone here who understands what she's going through. If you have anything to say to each other, you had better do it now."

Tina and Mike looked at each other uncomfortably. This was probably the first time that they've ever felt uncomfortable around each other. They had always been able to resolve their problems and make up for arguments and misunderstandings, but this time was different. They were now expectant parents.

"Mike, you know I love you, right?"

"Yeah, of course I do. And I love you, too."

"And I hope that this whole thing won't freak you out or anything."

"I admit, it did catch me by surprise."

"We were careful."

"Tina, I do want you know that I will be here for you. I'll put off my studies for as long as it takes."

"That's really sweet of you, but what are you going to tell your parents? You've only been in Chicago for a few months. Won't they think it's suspicious that all of a sudden you want to be back here with me?"

"I'll figure something out, something that they're bound to understand. You haven't told your parents yet, right?"

"I plan to, just not yet."

"You're going to need support, so when you do tell them, I intend to be with you."

Tina smiled, though half-heartedly.

"Mike, I really don't want to mess up your life. This whole thing is going to be a major roadblock for us."

"I'll get a job, and I will help in any way I can."

"Tina, I recommend that you wait until you are absolutely ready to tell your parents to actually tell them. I'll help however I can as well", said Quinn.

"But this isn't your problem."

"Maybe not, but you made it my business, as I am one of the only other two people who know about this."

Tina nodded in understanding, and she began to relax a little bit, knowing that she could count on them. She needed all the help she could get.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

In the choir room, most of the New Directions were in a happy mood. They still had not found a suitable replacement for Xavier, which didn't perturb them too much. Joe was strumming a guitar, and Tina was avoiding eye contact with almost everyone, Brittany was attempting to pore over her studies, and Amanda was ignoring personal space with Alexander. Dina and Emily were looking at Brittany and Alexander longingly, and Artie and Gina were having a snuggly good time, as were Rory and Sugar. Matt and Sam were discussing football. With their first game coming up, they were excited to start. Hannah was busy sketching possible outfit designs for Sectionals. Mr. Schuester entered the room with papers in hand.

"Okay, guys, Sectionals is a couple of weeks away, so I want to make sure that we're still up to speed with our choreography and vocals."

"Mr. Schuester, we've already done it, over and over again. We have our skills down", said Sam.

"To be honest, it wouldn't hurt to go back to some traditional fun in here", said Brittany.

"Yeah, it seems like all we do is work", said Gina and Dina at the same time.

"Principal Figgins isn't going to cancel the program due to the club's success in Chicago", said Alexander.

Mr. Schuester couldn't help but feel that they might be right. They've mostly been working hard to prepare for Sectionals, and had not gone a single meeting without having some fun.

"Okay, in that case, if you guys feel that you're ready to dance and sing, then all right. Girls, I still need to hear from you about a group number."

"We decided to do Tevin Campbell's 'Eye To Eye'", said Emily meekly.

"Oh, do speak up, honey, I don't think dear old Mr. Schuester heard you", said Amanda mockingly.

"No, I heard her. But she's right, speak up a little", said Mr. Schuester.

"Mr. Schuester, I noticed that you're low on uniforms for competition," said Hannah, "I have a lot of skill in making clothing, especially very stylish clothes."

"You know, that could be something that you can help with. How about I formally offer you the job?"

"Sounds great, I'll get to work as soon as I can."

"Do you need any help?"

"Well, it couldn't hurt. I can't do everything myself."

"We can help, we totally identify with clothing", said Gina and Dina at the same time.

"I hope that you're better at that than keeping silent", said Amanda.

"People are too soft-spoken for you, people are too loud for you", said Alexander, earning him a glare from her.

"Uh, Mr. Schuester, if you don't mind, the guys and I need to get to football practice, and Coach Beiste is holding practice longer for our first game", said Matt.

"Wait, all the guys are going?"

"I'm not", said Alexander.

"Yeah, Blaine and I joined before the school year started", said Joe.

Mr. Schuester sighed and let them leave.

"Okay, well, in that case, everyone line up and let's start working on the group number."

Everyone but Tina got up, which Mr. Schuester was quick to notice.

"Uh, Tina, we kind of need you to lead us with the song."

Tina didn't respond, and Mr. Schuester got concerned and he walked over to her.

"Tina, are you okay?"

This seemed to snap her awake, because she jumped at his voice.

"Sorry, I kind of have a lot on my mind."

At that moment, Emma entered the room.

"Will, can you come to Principal Figgins's office? It's kind of an emergency."

"Is everything okay?"

"I don't know. I got a message from Sue, telling us to meet her there."

"Okay, all right, guys, I'll be back in a minute. Brittany, show them the moves, Alexander and Tina lead with vocals."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Emma and Will entered Principal Figgins's office to find him, Sue, and Roz Washington waiting for them. There was another man in the room, and Will and Emma took quick note of him. He was a hair taller than Figgins and somewhat well-built, but had a small potbelly, light brown hair, and a jawline that rivaled John Cena.

"Have a seat, both of you", said Figgins, and Will and Emma did as they were told.

"Will, Emma, I'd like you to meet Lawrence Cooper, an old, shall we say _friend_, of our dear old Principal Figgins", said Sue.

"Mr. Cooper here is the father of the captain of the hockey team, Scott Cooper", said Roz.

Will and Emma hesitantly shook hands with Lawrence, who had an unsurprisingly strong handshake.

"Ms. Sylvester and Ms. Washington have informed me that things have taken somewhat of a downward spiral in this school in terms of authority and responsibility."

"Well, I can assure you, nothing wrong is happening", said Mr. Schuester.

"Oh, I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about Figgins here. It seems to me that the way he operates tends to form a rather questionable environment, particularly where money is concerned."

"Lawrence and I are old high school enemies. He's been after my job ever since I got it", said Figgins.

"Oh, come on, Figgins, you can't deny that my authority pretty much supersedes yours."

"Wait, hold on, why exactly are you here?" asked Emma.

"It turns out that Figgins's time as principal of this school is up. He's been given a generous offer by the Ohio State Board of Education, of which I am a member, to take the position of superintendent of a school system in New Jersey", said Sue.

"Principal Figgins, you can't possibly believe that that job is what you really want", said Will.

"Believe me, William, the last thing I want to do is leave this school in the hands of a tyrannical, unscrupulous, imbecilic, selfish brute."

"Is that the best you can do, Figgins? I distinctly remember giving you far more appropriate names when we went to school together."

"Most of which were extraordinarily racist!"

"Okay, before you two get down and dirty, let's cut to the matter at hand. Will, Emma, spread the word, Figgins is no longer the principal of this school. Roz and I agreed early on that his ways will inevitably lead to the school's destruction and ultimate downfall, so we went to the only person within walking distance who stands a chance of keeping this school on its feet", said Sue.

"We presented our case reasonably, and we got a lot of agreements", said Roz.

"I have already given my week's notice. My final day is Monday", said Figgins.

"And don't worry, the school will be in good hands", said Lawrence.

Will and Emma exchanged worried looks, considering that Lawrence was not to be trusted.

INTERLUDE

The next day went by very slowly for Tina. She still wasn't able to cope with being pregnant, and had to hide it from everyone. She understood how hard it was for Quinn and how being pregnant had changed her life for the better.

While she was able to pay attention in class, her mind couldn't help but wander back to how much was going change for her. Tina was going to have to explain why she would need copious amounts of food and a lot of rest. However, she did not want to slack on her studies or become a roadblock for the Glee Club. Even as she walked out of her third period class, she kept thinking about how this would affect Mike as well. She knew that he promised to be there for her and help out any way he could, but on some level, she didn't want him to. She wanted only what was best for him, and being a father at such a young age was not going to help him.

She was so deep in thought that she ran into Emily while rounding a corner.

"Sorry, Emily, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm all right. So, what's going on?"

Emily looked over Tina's shoulder at Alexander, who was putting stuff into his locker.

"I think it's about time you tell him how you feel."

"I r-r-really don't know. Every time I see him, I just clam up and just can't get any w-w-words out."

"I used to feel that way. But once you start to talk to him, it gets easier."

"I guess so. How come you look so flushed?"

"Oh, I've just had a long day."

"Wait, Tina, um, my aunt's had two kids recently, so I can tell if someone's pregnant. Are you pregnant?"

Tina pulled her aside, having noticed that several people had looked in their direction.

"You know when Mr. Schuester said that you need to speak up? Now is not the time."

"Sorry, but are you pregnant?"

"Yes, but I haven't told anyone else, so please keep it a secret."

"Okay, yeah, I promise."

"Thank you."

"And congratulations. You can let me know if you need help with anything and stuff."

"Thanks again. Now, let's get you talking to Alex over there. Come on."

With Emily protesting with every step, Tina pulled her in Alexander's direction.

"Go for it, or it'll never happen."

"What are you talking about? What am I supposed to say to him?"

"Ask him about his life, his interests, his disinterests, that kind of stuff. He'll respond with the mutual questions about you, and you guys will have a conversation. Quick, go, before he leaves."

Tina then pushed Emily in Alexander's direction, which he quickly noticed.

"What are you guys doing?"

"Well, Emily here just wanted to talk to you, that's all."

Emily shook her head nervously, but Tina gave her an encouragement sign and left. Emily turned to face Alexander, who was waiting. Emily, not having the slightest idea what to say, decided to try and improvise.

"So, uh, um, Orenda, huh? That's, uh, the Iroquois word meaning magic power, right?"

Alexander looked her in the eyes intensely before responding.

"You know your Native American cultures?"

"Uh, yeah, I, uh, studied it in Mr. Schuester's history class."

"That's great. Didn't Tina say that you wanted to tell me something?"

Emily realized that improvising was a mistake, but she had no choice but to do it again.

"Well, I was just wondering if, uh, you, um, were b-ready for Sectionals."

"Yeah, I'm ready. Are you ready?"

"I think so."

"Is everything okay with you? You seem very nervous right now."

"No, I'm not nervous. Why would I be nervous? What makes you think I'm nervous?"

"You're talking fast, shuddering, knocking your knees together, gripping your books tightly, and not making eye contact."

It took a moment for Emily to realize that he was right and attempted to straighten up. The next few words that came out of her mouth were the ones that she instantly regretted saying.

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

This caught both of them by surprise, and Emily did not dare look into Alexander's eyes.

"Are you asking me out?"

"Kind of. I don't know. Maybe."

"I'm kind of in a relationship right now."

"Yeah, I know. I just thought I'd give it a shot. I'll see you later."

She began to leave, but Alexander stopped her.

"But there's nothing wrong with two friends in a get-together, is there?"

Emily instantly relaxed at this, knowing that Alexander wouldn't chastise her.

"No, there's nothing wrong with it at all."

Alexander tilted her head up so that he could look into her eyes.

"Do you like BreadstiX?"

Amanda was not too far away, having heard everything. She quickly approached and got between them.

"So, you feel like having dinner tonight? At BreadstiX?"

"Well, I was intending to go there tonight to discuss Sectionals with Emily, but you're welcome to join us."

"Oh, actually, I was kind of hoping Emily wouldn't be there."

"Why not?"

Amanda looked back at Emily, who was backing away slowly.

"Because she does that."

Amanda quickly broke into song, singing Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman". She concluded the song with a satisfied expression on her face, and noticed that Alexander was looking at her with extreme hatred.

"Amanda, I don't think we should see each other anymore."

He then left, leaving Amanda to wonder what she did wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Sam loved to work at Burt Hummel's shop, helping to repair cars and other mechanisms. He had recently come to appreciate getting dirty every now and then. Now that Finn was off in the military, Burt needed some extra muscle. Living with Carole and Burt was all too amazing, because now that he had a paying job and a worthwhile roof over his head, he could wire enough money to his family so that they could have some help taking care of themselves.

Sam could tell that Carole and Burt missed their sons, and was fine with being considered a temporary replacement son. He wasn't their true son, but he felt that he embodied Finn and Kurt enough so that they seemed closer to home than they actually were. He spent his free time doing homework and staying in touch with Mercedes, whom he missed dearly. Ever since their summer together, he knew that they were meant for each other.

As he helped Burt close up shop, he opened his mail slot and found a note addressed to him by his parents. He read that his father had attempted to play the stock market, but had lost everything he had and needed to start from scratch. Sam read further that they needed him to find some time to go back and take care of his brother and sister for a while. He immediately saw this as trouble, because Sectionals was in two weeks, and he already had so much going on that he couldn't focus on it all.

Over the weekend, he took a train to Kentucky where his family was staying, enjoying some time with them, having been away from them for so long. His parents were overjoyed at having him around, though his brother and sister were more so. Sam learned that his brother had come down with the flu over the past few weeks, and no one could afford medications for him. Sam knew that not even what he earned from Burt could pay for medicine, but his siblings pulled everything they had out of their piggy banks to help him. Sam then quickly headed to a local pharmacy, which closed in less than ten minutes.

"All right, Mr. Evans, your total comes to $215.85", said the pharmacist.

"Wait, it's that expensive? It's just flu medication."

"I'm sorry, but with the way the country's economics are going, prices are soaring. The products are cheaper over the counter than they are when delivered, which is the best that I can do for you."

"That's crap! My brother is sick, okay? I have far less than that in my account."

"I'm very sorry, but there is nothing more I can do."

Sam watched in anger as the pharmacist left the counter. He could not believe that the health insurance companies, or even the government, would value money over human life. He could not afford the medication, and he wanted his brother to get better. He took a quick look around, seeing that there was no one around, and there were no security cameras watching him. In one swift movement, he placed the medication in his coat pocket and ran out of the store, not realizing that he had triggered a silent alarm.

INTERLUDE

The next day in the choir room, everyone noticed two empty seats.

"Where are Amanda and Sam?" asked Mr. Schuester.

"Nobody's seen them. I tried calling Sam, but he's not picking up", said Brittany.

"Amanda's been around, but she doesn't seem like talking to anyone", said Gina.

"We can't keep going like this. We have to keep the group together", said Mr. Schuester.

"I'll try to find Sam, but it's going to be hard", said Artie.

"We will try to find him together. In the meantime, we need someone to go and talk to Amanda."

"I'll go and look for her", said Hannah.

"I think I'll go with you", said Tina.

"Okay, the rest of us will head out and try and locate Sam."

The group left the room in search of the two, but Gina and Dina were stopped by their father on the way out.

"Are you two in the Glee Club?"

The twins stopped dead at the sight of their father. Not only were they both afraid of him, but they were also afraid of the consequences of breaking his rules. He had insisted that they stay out of extracurricular activities to focus on their studies, something that they had promised to obey.

"Um, yeah, dad. We are", said Gina.

"I thought I made it clear that you can't."

"Daddy, come on. We admitted that the whole ignoring our schoolwork thing was a mistake", said Gina. Dina was remaining silent.

"You two are still not up to specs with your education yet. Being in a music club will only get in your way of becoming something great, and even important, one day."

"But, dad, come on, this is our passion", said Gina.

"What do you think is more important? Getting through high school with flying colors, going off to a good college, and making something of yourselves? Or participating in something that is simply a pastime and interferes with everything that you do?"

Neither girl could bring themselves to answer the question, which made their father continue.

"I want you to leave this club, focus more on your studies. I want only what's best for both of you, and being part of a music club won't help matters."

The girls had learned a long time ago to not argue with their father, and this time would not be an exception.

INTERLUDE

In the football offices, Coach Beiste was drawing plays for upcoming games, with a roasted chicken sitting on her desk. She had been very busy of the past couple of weeks, considering her continued support for the Glee Club, coaching football, and getting over her leaving Cooter. She didn't agree that anything was going to be easy, but she was making an effort. She had always considered Cooter her soul mate when she met him, but when he became something else entirely, her fear that no one else would ever love her had slowly but surely resurfaced. That fear was stronger than ever now, as she had not heard from him.

As she got back to work, Lawrence Cooper walked into the office. Coach Beiste caught sight of him, and couldn't help but feel impressed at his appearance, despite not knowing who he was.

"Excuse me, but are you Shannon Beiste?"

At first, Coach Beiste couldn't say anything, but returned to reality after a moment's hesitation.

"Yes, I am. Who are you?"

"My name is Lawrence Cooper. I am the new principal here. And from what I hear out in the halls, you're quite a gal."

Beiste couldn't help but turn bright pink in embarrassment. No one had called her that since she went on her first official date with Cooter.

"Oh, thank you. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Cooper."

"Ah, please, call me Lawrence. I, in turn, will gladly call you Shannon."

"Uh, so, Lawrence, did you need someone to show you around? Maybe get to know the school a little better?"

"Actually, I was kind of wondering if you wouldn't mind having dinner with me tonight? I think that I'd be much more interested in getting to know you a little better."

Beiste was taken completely by surprise at this. She had heard that there was some new management, but she never expected him to come down to ask her out.

"Sure, I'd love to."


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Hannah and Tina were finally able to catch up with Amanda, who was preparing to head home.

"Amanda, where have you been?" asked Tina.

"I've been around. Why?"

"No, how come you didn't come to rehearsal today?" asked Hannah.

"Oh, yeah, uh, I quit the club. I figured out that it's not as important to me as it was originally made out to be."

"But, you seemed to be having such a good time", said Tina.

"The key word is seemed. I'm not getting the spotlight, Alexander dumped me, and I still think that the club is reserved for losers. Sorry to disappoint you girls, but I'm out. I'd wish you the best of luck, but it probably wouldn't matter. Without me or Xavier, I'm pretty sure that your little funhouse is out. See you around."

With that, Amanda turned on her heel and left, and Tina and Hannah stood dumbfounded that they had lost another star player.

INTERLUDE

Everyone was tired the next day. They had spent most of the night trying to locate Sam, but to no avail. This didn't stop them from noticing two more empty chairs.

"Amanda quit the club, guys", said Tina, "She much like Quinn and Santana combined."

"And Gina and Dina were pressured to quit by their father. He sees the club as a waste of time", said Joe.

"We haven't found Sam anywhere either", said Blaine.

"He can't have just disappeared", said Sugar, "With all that blond hair and that big mouth, he's pretty hard to miss."

Mr. Schuester was sitting at the piano, listening to everything they said. He understood how Gina and Dina would leave, and he even foresaw that Amanda would leave; it was just a matter of time. But he was still perplexed about Sam. Nonetheless, he got up and addressed them.

"The good news is that we only need the participation of one more person to qualify for Sectionals. We will try later to find Sam, or otherwise convince Amanda or Xavier to come back. Otherwise, we'll just have to find someone willing to perform with us."

It was at that moment that Emma walked into the room, looking very concerned.

"Will, you and the kids have been looking for Sam, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. Is everything okay? Have you heard from him?"

"Well, I just got a call from a police department in Kentucky. Sam's been arrested."


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Down in the Blackburn Correctional Facility, Mr. Schuester had helped to post Sam's bail, but Sam's actions had consequences.

"Sam, I hope you realize that because of what happened, you're going to be banned from Sectionals, as well as facing a week's suspension."

"Mr. Schuester, I know what I did was wrong, but I did what I had to in order to help my brother."

"Sam, I'm not your dad, but you do realize that you could have called any of us to help you, right?"

"I know, and I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Look, I'm just glad you're okay. I'll help to pay for your brother's medication, and then I'll drive you back."

Sam nodded, though shame was still very evident on his face, even as he followed Mr. Schuester to his car. He understood that a criminal act would go on his permanent record, which would severely weaken his chances of getting into a good college and moving on with his life. He knew firsthand how Puck had been through this situation, and, despite considering Puck a friend, Sam didn't want to end up like him anytime soon.

INTERLUDE

Amanda was in the locker room getting ready for practice, and she looked over and saw the Gina and Dina were also preparing to go. For some reason she couldn't place, she felt fortunate that she wasn't the only cheerleader to quit the Glee Club. It made her feel less of a bad person for leaving a club she deemed was reserved for losers. She didn't feel sorry for either of them. If anything, she felt proud of them.

"Come on, girls! If you want to become lazy chumps, you do it outside school grounds! Let's go!" Sue shouted into her megaphone, causing her voice to echo painfully around the room and forcing several girls to cover their ears. They proceeded to leave the room and head out to the football field, where the football team was practicing. Amanda began following them out, but Sue stopped her.

"Why'd you quit?"

"Coach?"

"Why'd you quit the Glee Club?"

"Well, because it's not important to me."

"Honey, I was around when they invented lie detection, so don't try me."

"What do you care? You never liked it."

"True, but I came to respect it. It turns out that it may be more important that I thought."

"Why did you try and go after it in the first place?"

"Well, because most of their money came out of the Cheerios budget, which I wasn't too happy with. But after all they did for me, I figured out that it just wasn't worth it."

"While that's really great for you, Coach, I'm happy without it. Less people to worry about, more time to focus on what's really important."

"Do you know why I made you the head cheerleader?"

Amanda had almost gotten to the door when Sue asked this, causing her to stop immediately. She had never understood why, out of the blue at the beginning of the year, why Sue had made her the head cheerleader, so she turned around so that Sue could explain.

"I made you the head cheerleader because you reminded me of two Cheerios who joined the Glee Club. They were two of my best, and they finished on a strong and high note by being in both groups. You reminded me of their strength, their courage, their talents, and most of all of their unwavering capability to make the right choices. Now, I may not know a lot about how you teenagers think nowadays. Maybe high school is just one gigantic popularity contest, and where you fall will determine how far you go in the future. But I know that you have the power to make the right choices here, and the right choice would be to continue participating in the Glee Club. Though you may not see it right now, you won't regret going back."

"Is that the way that you C it?" asked Amanda, making a C with her hand.

"Yes, it is. When we're finished with practice, I advise you to go and talk to Will, reaffirm your position in the club. Our buddy Sam's been busted out of prison, which means that he's forfeited his right to participate at Sectionals. The club needs a twelfth man."

Amanda gave a short nod and left, gathering her things to bring out to the field.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Later in the day, everyone was surprised to see Amanda walk through the choir room doors. She looked around uneasily at them, knowing that they were judging her without even needing to talk.

"Amanda, welcome back. We've missed you in here."

"I appreciate that, Mr. Schuester. Coach Sylvester gave me some things to think over. I'm going to stick with it a while longer, see what happens."

Mr. Schuester nodded and gestured for her to take a seat.

"All right, we have enough members to compete, but please note that we'll need a lot more than just strength in numbers to win. You guys need the passion, the drive that keeps you moving, that kind of feeling you get that makes you itch to win."

"So you want us to get bitten by mosquitos?" asked Brittany.

Mr. Schuester gave her a confused look before continuing.

"What I'm saying is that while you do have the talent, you also need to be the talent. Show them what you're made of."

"Not to be rude, but is there a point to this pep talk?" asked Blaine.

"My point is that the assignment for the week is to find a song that drives you, makes you passionate about what you want to accomplish. Sectionals is in two weeks, so we need to be as ready as possible. Just to give you an example, I'm going to start us off with one of my personal favorites."

He then picked up a guitar and began playing the intro music to Kiss's "Rock And Roll All Night", with the help of the jazz band. Mr. Schuester concluded the song with a single strum on his guitar, and the New Directions applauded heavily, having never seen Mr. Schuester with so much energy.

"Okay, that's pretty much how it goes. That's your assignment for the week, so show us some good stuff."

INTERLUDE

Matt headed to his locker, wondering about the week's assignment. He didn't know of any songs that inspired him, mostly because he just loved to dance. Just as he rounded a corner, Scott Cooper and his teammates tossed Slushees in his face. He stood where he was, colored purple, orange, and red, and freezing cold. In pure anger, he rushed to them, wiping the drink out of his eyes as he went, and grabbed Scott from behind. Not entirely aware of his actions, Matt was pummeling Scott, who was trying in vain to defend himself. Matt then came back to his senses when he felt Mr. Schuester pull him off.

"Matt, what are you doing? Do you want to be suspended too?"

"No, I'm just looking for a little payback."

"Beating someone up isn't going to help matters. Now, I highly recommend that you turn around and walk away. This guy's father is the new principal here. I don't want him to have a reason to get you kicked out."

Matt sighed sharply and continued to wipe off Slushee chunks. He turned back to Scott, who was getting up with difficulty. Matt had never beaten up somebody before, so he was genuinely surprised by how much damage he had dealt.

"You be careful, Cooper. Next time, you'll be getting the Slushee facial", Matt growled, and he walked away, surrounded by shocked students.

INTERLUDE

Down another hallway, Emily was trying to put together words to say to Alexander. She had not spoken to him since she asked him out, which didn't make her feel confident. She looked around the corner leading to his locker, where he was pulling stuff out and putting other stuff back in. She watched in concern when Brittany approached him.

"So, magic man, I'm running for Senior Class President again, and I'd like you to cast your vote for me."

"Who are you running against?"

"Oh, just a couple of people, who aren't in the Glee Club, by the way, because if they were, that would be so awkward."

"I must apologize, Ms. Pierce, but I'm a politically neutral person. I do wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors."

"Wait, okay, listen, I need to be able to maintain my status as the Senior Class President. It's the only way that I'll be able to get out of this school alive."

"That and your grades need to improve?"

"Yeah, exactly, so will you help me, please?"

"I will convince people to vote for you, and I will tutor you for free, but I will not personally vote for you. I have other agendas, so again, I wish you luck."

"Wait, what other agendas do you have in mind?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, as the future Senior Class President, I have an obligation to know and understand those I will end up serving."

Alexander frowned deeply.

"I am planning to get Xavier back into the Glee Club."

"That's great! How are you going to do it?"

"You're really starting to sound like that Jacob kid who follows people around. Anyway, getting him back is a gamble, so I'll just throw the dice and see what happens."

"Xavier works at a casino?"

Alexander frowned again and left Brittany by herself.

"What floor am I on, anyway?" she asked herself, and Emily couldn't help but giggle, seeing the floor number on a sign right behind Brittany.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

In the nurses' station, Scott was being looked at after his encounter with Matt.

"Boy, I'm beginning to see you as a regular", said the nurse, and she left to check some charts. Mr. Schuester was also there, and he turned to Scott.

"Why do you do it?"

"Why do I do what?"

"Bully people. Do you really think they deserve it?"

"Look, man, I just do what comes naturally to me. I get kicks out of some thrills during the day, and most of those thrills come from leveling people lower than me."

"And you don't consider that people are getting hurt?"

"Wounds heal with time, man. Besides, I'm a Senior. When I graduate, I'm sure that you all will be glad to be rid of me."

"I am amazed that you have friends."

"Hey, look, my dad may be the new principal here, but I don't follow his rules. My mom cheated on him, they got a divorce, and now I live with him, and she has to work double-shifts at two jobs just to be able to pay her bills. You are not my dad, therefore, you reserve no right to pass judgment on me and you can't tell me what I can or cannot do. I am what I am and I like it. If you can't deal with that, then you're weaker than all those geeks you teach."

Scott then got up and left, breaking into song as he went. Scott's performance of Three Days Grace's "Animal I Have Become" shifted between the halls and onto the school grounds, surrounding him by screaming fans and supportive students. He concluded the song, earning him brief applause, and the crowd dispersed, leaving him by himself.

INTERLUDE

Around the same time as Scott's performance, Blaine was having lunch at the coffee shop. He certainly missed having Kurt around. All those times they spent talking, laughing, enjoying each other's company were times well spent. Now, it wasn't the same without him. Blaine did worry about Kurt, who was in New York with Rachel. They had sworn to never say goodbye to each other, and Blaine only had less than a year before he could see Kurt again. He had already sent in his application to NYADA, hoping for the best that he would be chosen. He was certain that with all the success he had with the Warblers as well as his helping the New Directions win Nationals, they would accept him. Carmen Tibideaux was not overseeing the auditions this time, which made Blaine even more nervous.

As Blaine continued to think all of this over, he didn't see Vance Turman enter the coffee shop. Vance quickly took notice of Blaine and approached.

"Well, if it isn't Blaine Anderson of the New Directions."

"Vance, how are things? Terrible, I hope."

"Things are decent, thanks for asking. May I sit?"

Blaine, knowing that discourtesy was not in his nature, motioned for Vance to sit, which Vance was all too happy to do.

"I really do hope that we remain on good terms, Blaine. I have the utmost confidence that you will be a significant asset to your group."

"To be honest, Vance, I know that you are very talented. You come from a long line of successful performers, and I know that you're gay."

"Well, how can you tell that?"

"I can tell by the way you're looking at me right now."

"You have an eye for uniqueness, which I admire."

"I'm all for making friends instead of enemies, but right now, I don't consider you a friend. Not really, at least."

"I've followed your work, you know. You've led your Warbler friends to victory multiple times, never backing down. And you helped your friends win Nationals. You are a gifted performer, there's no denying that. Such talent shouldn't be wasted in a club where the members compete for the spotlight. At my school, the spotlight is shared equally, and everyone is on good terms. There are no bullies, no outcasts, and no problems. I think you'll fit in very well."

"With all due respect, I have to, politely, mind you, decline your offer, generous though it may be."

Vance raised an eyebrow, but refused to back down.

"Think of it this way: those who graduate from my school have a vastly increased chance of getting into their desired colleges of choice. You have your friend Kurt in New York, and staying in a school where popularity is a contest will not guarantee you access to New York. The Delphos Community High School is well known for its arts, and most of the graduates go to New York with very few problems. If you want to see Kurt again, as well as be on an endlessly winning team for once, then I suggest you take my offer. Think about it, and let me know. Here's my card."

With that, Vance dropped a card next to Blaine and left the shop, leaving Blaine to take in everything that he said.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

The New Directions proceeded to fulfill the week's assignment, with Matt performing Adam Lambert's "What Do You Want From Me", Blaine and Amanda sharing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Rory and Sugar sharing "All I Ask Of You" from _The Phantom Of The Opera_, Alexander performing Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried", Artie performing Michael Jackson's "Beat It", Tina performing Britney Spears's "Break The Ice", Brittany performing Britney Spears's "Oops, I Did It Again", Joe performing Eagle Eye Cherry's "Don't Give Up", Emily performing Kelly Clarkson's "Fading", and Hannah performing Evanescence's "Cloud Nine".

Blaine and Amanda agreed to share their performance after he had helped her with cheerleading routines, which led to their friendship. Brittany had chosen her song because she recognized it as one of Britney Spears's biggest numbers they had not yet covered, as had Artie with Michael Jackson. Matt had chosen a popular song to further demonstrate his soloing talents, while Rory and Sugar had chosen their song after spending the night with each other. Alexander had chosen his song because of his favor of country music. Emily had her song to express her feelings for Alexander discreetly, though her message had seemingly gotten across. Hannah simply stated that she was a fan of Evanescence.

Mr. Schuester was heavily impressed with their progress and knew for certain that they were ready for Sectionals, which was only a few days away. He was quick to notice, however, that Blaine had other things on his mind.

"Hey, Blaine, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, sure, what's up?"

"Well, you seem kind of distracted. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just still kind of missing Kurt."

"Are you sure that that's all there is?"

Blaine knew that he couldn't lie to Mr. Schuester and get away with it.

"The lead singer from the Music Masters has invited me to join him and his group."

"You mean to transfer schools?"

"And to join them in competing against you. I've done my research on his advice about how going to that school will boost my chances of getting into a good college, preferably one where I can see Kurt again. It turns out that he's right, the Delphos Community College has higher ratings than this school does."

"Yeah, but that's what they said about Dalton."

"I really want to stay here, Mr. Schuester. I've made very good friends here, and I am having a great time. But going there sounds tempting."

"Blaine, I'm not your father. This is your decision to make."

"I really would appreciate it, though. What do you think I should do?"

"Well, you've never been there yourself, so you don't know for sure if being there will be better. You've been here for a while now, the people here adore you as you adore them, and you love being a part of a club where you can be yourself. My best advice would be for you to stay."

"Then I choose to stay."

Mr. Schuester nodded, and Blaine left the room, but Mr. Schuester couldn't help but feel uneasy.

INTERLUDE

In the locker room, Alexander found Xavier putting stuff into his locker and cautiously approached.

"I always wondered what it smelled like in a place like this", he began, slightly startling Xavier.

"What do you think of it?"

"It's decent. How are you doing?"

"Things are great. I'm on the team I belong on, so don't try to convince me to come back."

Alexander sighed and sat down on a bench.

"Do you like doing this?" he asked.

"Doing what?"

"Hating yourself."

"I don't hate myself."

"Well, you certainly don't love yourself."

"Don't presume to know anything about me."

"I don't presume anything", said Alexander, shrugging nonchalantly.

"So what do you want?"

"It's not a matter of what I want. This is a matter of what you want. Your hockey friends gave you a choice, neither outcome being what you want. The Glee Club also gives you a choice, both outcomes being what you want. The only rules of your life that you follow are your own and, to an extent, your parents."

"Why give me this little philosophy lesson?"

"Because I know where you're coming from. You had a bad childhood, one where you're surrounded by rules you eventually accept as a way of making sure you don't hurt yourself. Sometimes the rules are harsh, and you just want to block it all out. I've followed the rules of reality my entire life, staying as down to earth as possible. I didn't join the Glee Club because I like it. I joined because I respected it. Why you joined is a mystery to me, but I don't doubt that it was for a good reason, one that suited what you wanted."

"My team captain Scott mentioned that you were an orphan. Is that true?"

"This isn't about me."

"Yeah, but I really want to know. He doesn't know the whole truth, I bet. But I want to know. I won't tell anyone."

Alexander sighed heavily and slumped into the bench.

"Just hours after I was born, my birth parents left me in the hospital with several bottles of breast milk and just the nurses to care for me. I grew up in the hospital, and was placed in a local orphanage when I was six years old. The people there were horrible, spiteful, and abusive. I was eventually taken in by a billionaire couple, and I began practicing magic when I was eight."

"So how do you know what I'm going through?"

"Because you grew up in a world filled with things you hate, as did I. You grew up thinking that you have to be a certain way to please only others, not yourself, as did I. You think you belong in one world, when really, you belong in both, as do I. You're a strong, talented, smart, and unique individual who I firmly believe can make a real difference in this school and eventually the future. So, I'm not here to convince you to come back to the Glee Club. I'm here to convince you to follow your heart and live the life that you believe will make you happy."

"My teammates will not stand for it."

"Then be a martyr for the cause. Whatever choice you make in your life is right, wrong, both, or neither. If you allow everyone to make your decisions for you, you'll never move forward. You're a good person, there's no denying that. And nothing will ever change it."

With that, Alexander stood up, tipped his hat, and left, and Xavier couldn't help but think about everything he was just told.

INTERLUDE

The next day, everyone was surprised to see Xavier walk through the door, wearing the most apologetic look they had ever seen on someone's face.

"I don't suppose there's any way that you'll let me come back?"

"You're always welcome here", said Mr. Schuester.

"What made you change your mind?" asked Sugar.

"I just needed some time alone with my thoughts."

The others looked at each other and him with doubtful expressions, but Xavier had come prepared.

"Maybe I'll cement my return with a song?"

He picked up a guitar and, with the help of the jazz band, performed the Scorpions' "Rock You Like A Hurricane", receiving high praise from his friends.

THIS IS THE END TO THIS STORY. THE NEXT STORY WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTER. STAY TUNED FOR MORE. THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS AND SUPPORT.


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